Updating the DVLA Your Questions Answered

You may have seen our Director, Jeanette Miller, appear on Watchdog on the One Show on the 6th August 2020 discussing your options regarding the DVLA delays due to COVID19.

Since then, we have had an influx of questions regarding you, as a driver, not updating the DVLA with information such as your name change or address change.  We address many questions about your obligations to update DVLA and other DVLA related issues below:

The simple answer is yes.  You are legally required to update the DVLA, with the responsibility being solely yours.

You must inform the DVLA if you:

• Change your name or gender,

You will need to send your licence along with the application form and supporting documents to support your change in name or gender.  The process is the same if you are changing your honorifics (eg. Mrs from Miss).  You would need to send medical evidence if you are changing to Dr, although you would not need to produce medical evidence of a hereditary title.

You will be sent a new licence free of charge, and you are still able to drive while you wait for a new licence.

• Change you address,

You can visit https://www.gov.uk/tell-dvla-changed-address and update the DVLA for free.

You need to update DVLA about your change of address with regards your driving licence but also any vehicle registered to you.

You must update your vehicle logbook (V5C) if you are the registered keeper and you have changed address.  If you fail to do so and the police send a Notice of Intended Prosecution to an old address but this is because of your failure to update the DVLA, this would not be a defence to a prosecution for failing to furnish information.

• Make any alterations to your vehicle, including a personalised number plate,

You must update your vehicle certificate (V5C) if you change the colour, engine size, chassis or bodyshell, seating capacity, weight of a large vehicle and cylinder capacity.

If you make amendments such as wheel plan, body type conversions, vehicle identification number, frame or chassis number, then the DVLA may require the vehicle to undergo an inspection.

You will need to send written confirmation and evidence to the DVLA, along with the V5C to support the update.  If you do not, the V5C may be rejected.  The DVLA will contact you if the vehicle needs to be inspected, or if you need to pay more vehicle tax.

• Sell your vehicle,

You can update the DVLA by visiting https://www.gov.uk/sold-bought-vehicle.

• Have or developed a notifiable medical condition.

You must inform the DVLA is you develop a notifiable medical condition or disability, or a condition or disability had got worse since you obtained your licence.  The DVLA outlines a list of medical conditions and advice on whether you are require to inform the DVLA.

If you fail to notify the DVLA of changes, you could face a fine of up to £1,000.  There are additional consequences also.  If for example, you have not updated the DVLA about a change in your address, and the police have written to you requesting information at the old address, you may have been charged, summons and convicted all without your knowledge.

If you are reading this having already failed to update the DVLA about one of the notifiable changes or details outlined above, we would firstly advise that you check your driving licence history to confirm you have not been convicted of an offence without your knowledge.  You can do this by visiting https://www.gov.uk/view-driving-licence and entering your driving licence number, postcode (as currently on your driving licence) and national insurance number.

If you discover some penalties have been imposed without your knowledge, then get in touch with us to see whether we help to have the matter unravelled. It is sometimes possible to reopen a case although may not be worthwhile to do so if your only defence is that you were unaware of the prosecution due to you not updating the DVLA. We are happy to talk through the options and devise the best plan with you.